Shade structure for windows and the like



June 24, 1941. A. STONE SHADE STRUCTURE FOR WINDOWS AND THE LIKE FiledAug. 28, 14o

s Sheets-Sheet 1 INV ENT OR. ABM/mm STONE W ATI'OR/VEVS June 24, 1941.A. STONE SHADE STRUCTURE FOR WINDOWS AND THE LIKE Filed Aug. 28, 1940 3Sheets-Sheet 2 A. SHADE STRUCTURE: FOR wmnows AND THE LIKE Filed Aug.28, 1940 v 3 Sheet-Sheet 3 I NV ENTOR. flaw/mm 5 701v:

5M 7* @2; ATTORNEYS Patented June 24, 1941 UNlTED STATES aren't Fe SHADESTRUCTURE FOR WINDOWS AND THE LIKE 9 Claims.

This invention relates to shades of the accordion pleated type forwindows, porches and the like, and has particular reference to a shadeof said character composed of interfitting units which may be readilydisassembled for replacement of worn, damaged or soiled parts andreassembled and secured in position.

The invention has in view an inexpensive shade of the aforesaidcharacter which simulates and is adapted to take the place of the moreexpensive Venetian blinds and which includes a replaceable accordionpleated body unit constructed of inexpensive flexible material havingrigid attaching strips at the upper and lower ends thereof and which areremovably associated with rigid top and bottom units by means of whichthe body unit is supported and expanded and. with which the draw cord.is associated.

The invention also embodies bracket members for detachable engagementwith the top unit and by means of which the shade is adapted to beattached to a supporting frame.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, reference is now made tothe following specification and accompanying drawings in which there areillustrated the preferred forms of the invention.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a shade constructed in accordance withthe present invention and illustrating the same in lowered condition.

Fig. ,2 is an enlarged top plan View thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front View with parts broken away and shown insection to disclose the underlying structure.

Fig. 4 is a collective perspective view illustrating the shade units inseparated juxtaposition.

5 is an enlarged vertical sectional View therethrough takenapproximately on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

F g. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the brackets fordetachably supporting the shade structure from a window frame.

Fig. '7 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view illustrating a modifiedform of guide means for the draw cord.

Fig. 8 is a collective perspective view illustrating the top and bodyunits in separated juxtaposition showing a modified adaptation of theinvention.

9 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the top and bodyunits in assembled relation.

Fig. 10 is an enlarged transverse sectional view illustrating the topand body units connected in assembled relation by the bracket.

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating a furthermodification of the invention.

Fig. 12 is an enlarged fragmentaryvertical sectional view thereofillustrating the means for securing the supporting bar and attachingstrip against endwise movement.

Referring to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6inclusive of the drawings, the shade includes a body unit In composed ofa transversely pleated accordion foldable panel H preferably fashionedfrom paper or other inexpensive sheet material, and rigid attachingstrips l2 and I3 extending longitudinally of and secured by any desiredmeans to the upper and lower pleats of the panel respectively and whichstrips have their opposite longitudinal edges beveled to define inwardlyconverging faces i l-M and l5-i5 respectively.

The shade also includes top and bottom units l8 and it consisting ofrigid rectangular shaped bars having their confronting faces formed withlongitudinally extending dovetail grooves 20 and 2| respectively tothereby provide oppositely disposed shoulders defined by beveled orundercut faces 22-22 and 2323 respectively, and which faces conform withthe converging faces l4 and !5 respectively of the attaching strips l2and It for longitudinally slidable interfitting engagement of the stripsin the grooves 20 and 2| respectively to thereby connect the body unitand the end units together.

The top unit it is formed with a longitudinally extending rectangulargroove 26 in the upper face thereof and with vertical openings 2'! and23 extending downwardly through the web between the grooves 29 and 26adjacent the opposite ends thereof. The openings 21 and 28 are providedwith metal grommets 29 and 30, whichv openings align respectively withopenings 3! and (i2. and 33 and 34 in the attaching strips l2 and I3respectively with the openings 35 and 35 in the pleats in the panel IIand with the openings 31 and 38 in the bottom unit IS. A draw cord 39for manually raising the shade into folded condition is doubled toprovide leads i9 and M which are slidably trained through the opening 42in the projecting terminal of the attaching strip l2 and the alignedgrommeted opening 43 in the top unit H3, and thence longitudinally inthe groove 26 and respectively downward through the grommets 29 and MI,and the aligned openings in the attaching strip l2, the pleats of thepanel, the

attaching strip [3 and the bottom unit [9 with the ends of the leadsknotted as at 44 and 45 beneath the bottom unit to prevent withdrawal ofthe leads through the said openings.

The shade may be supported from a window frame or other frame structureA in any desired manner, but as herein illustrated the same ispreferably detachably supported therefrom by means of brackets B each ofwhich includes a base 50 which, as illustrated, is provided withopenings for receiving screws or equivalent fastenings elements 52 whichextend therethrough and are anchored into the frame A. The base 50 isalso provided with apertured depending side lugs 53 and an apertured endlug 54 for optionally attaching the bracket to the sides of the frame orthe ends thereof and is formed with depending oppositely disposed springfingers 55 having inwardly offset terminals 55 for embracingly clampingthe top unit l8.

In th modified form of guide means for the draw cord illustrated in Fig.'7 which is employed in lieu of the grommets illustrated in the previousform, a guide roller 51 is provided which is mounted on a transverse pin53 spanning the groove 25 and located adjacent the draw cord openings inthe top unit l8.

When it is necessary to replace any of the units, particularly the bodyunit, the draw cord knots 4-4 and 45 are either untied or cut off andthe cord is withdrawn so as to permit of the sliding disengagement ofthe units l0, l8 and i9. After the new unit has been replaced byinterfitting sliding engagement, the draw cord is then retrained throughthe openings and knots 44 and 45 are retied to thus secure the units inassembled relation, it being obvious that the leads of the draw cordextending through the aligned openings of the several units serve toprevent longitudinal sliding and separating movement.

In the form of the invention illustrated in.

Figs. 8 to inclusive of the drawings, the top unit or supporting bar 60has its bottom face formed with a wide transverse groove 6| to provideoppositely disposed transversely extending shoulders defined by beveledor undercut faces 62 and 63 adjacent the opposite ends of the barrespectively, while the attaching strip 64 of the body unit 65 'has itsopposite ends beveled to define downwardly converging faces 66 and 61which conform respectively with the undercut faces 62 and 63 fortransverse slidable interfitting engagement of the attaching strip 54 inthe groove 6| to thereby connect the body unit to the supporting bar 60.

The supporting bar 59 is detachably suspended from a frame structuresuch as a window frame or the like by means of brackets C similar to thebrackets B in the previously described form of the invention, but inthis form the depending spring fingers B8 embracingly engage thesupporting bar 6!! and attaching strip 64 at the opposite sides thereofwith the offset terminals $9 of the brackets extending inwardly beneaththe attaching strip to thereby clamp the attaching strip to thesupporting bar and the top unit and body unit to the supporting frame.The supporting bar 50 is similarly provided with a longitudinallyextending rectangular groove 10 in the upper face thereof and withgrommeted vertical openings H and 12 which respectively align withopenings 13 and I4 and I5 and in the attaching strip and pleats of thepanel for slidably receiving therein the leads of a draw cord (notshown), which draw cord is trained in the groove 10 with its free endextending downwardly through a vertical opening at one end of the bar50, as in the previous form of the invention.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 of thedrawings, the top unit or supporting bar 8| and the attaching strip 82of the body unit 83 are detachably connected by means of similarbrackets C, the depending spring fingers 68 of which embracingly engagethe opposite sides of said bar and strip with the offset terminal 69extending inwardly beneath the strip 82 to thereby clamp the said stripagainst the underside of the supporting bar 8|. The strip 82 ispreferably secured against endwise movement by means of a headed tubularstud 84 extending downwardly through aligned openings 85 and 86 in thebar 8! and the strip 82, and through which stud protrudes the free endof the draw cord 8'6 for manually raising the body unit 83 as in theprevious forms of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a shade, a body unit including a transversely pleated accordionfoldable panel and rigid attaching strips extending longitudinally ofand secured to the upper and lower ends of the panel, rigid top andbottom units each having a longitudinally extending recessed portionproviding oppositely disposed shoulders on each of said units, saidupper and lower attaching strips each having longitudinally extendingportions complementary to said shoulders for slidable interfittingengagement with said top and bottom units respectively, and said bodyunit and said top and bottom units having aligned openings thereinadjacent the side edges thereof, and a draw cord having leads extendingthrough said openings and functioning to secure the units againstseparation.

2. In a shade, a body unit including a transversely pleated accordionfoldable panel and rigid attaching strips extending longitudinally ofand secured to the upper and lower ends of the panel, rigid top andbottom units, said top unit and upper strip and said bottom unit andlower strip being respectively formed with detachable means ofconnection engageable and disengageable by relative longitudinal slidingmovement, and said units having cord receiving openings adapted to alignwhen the units are in mating engagement, and a draw cord having leadsextending through said openings and serving to prevent relativelongitudinal separating movement of the units. 3. In a shade, a bodyunit including a transversely pleated accordion foldable panel and rigidattaching strips extending longitudinally of and secured to the upperand lower ends of the panel respectively, rigid top and bottom unitshaving their confronting faces formed with longitudinally extendingdovetail grooves, said upper and lower attaching strips having beveledside edges conforming to the side faces of said dovetail grooves andadapted for slidable interfitting engagement with the grooves of saidtop and bottom units respectively, and said panel strip and units havingaligned openings adjacent the side edges thereof, and a draw cordextending through said openings and functioning to secur the unitsagainst separation.

4. In a shade, a body unit including a transversely pleated accordionfoldable panel and a rigid attaching strip extending longitudinally ofand secured to the upper end of the panel, a rigid supporting bar havinga longitudinally extending recessed portion providing oppositelydisposed shoulders, said attaching strip having longitudinally extendingportions complementary to said shoulders for slidable interfittingengagement with the recessed portion of said supporting bar, and saidpanel and attaching strip and supporting bar having aligned openings,and a draw cord extending through said openings and functioning tosecure the units against separation.

5. In a shade, a body unit including a transversely pleated accordionfoldable panel and a rigid attaching strip extending longitudinally ofand secured to the upper end of the panel, a rigid supporting bar havinga longitudinally extending recessed portion providing oppositelydisposed shoulders, said attaching strip having longitudinally extendingportions complementary to said shoulders for slidable interfittingengagement with the recessed portion of said supporting bar, and saidpanel and attaching strip and supporting bar having aligned openingsadjacent the side edges thereof, a draw cord having leads extendingthrough said openings for manually raising the panel to a foldedcondition and functioning to secure the panel and said attaching stripand supporting bar against separation, and bracket members having springfingers provided with inwardly offset terminals adapted for detachableengagement beneath the supporting bar for attaching the shade to asupporting frame.

6. In a shade, a body unit including a transversely pleated accordionfoldable panel and rigid attaching strips extending longitudinally ofand secured to the upper and lower ends of the panel, and a rigidsupporting bar adapted to be aifixed to a supporting structure, saidattaching strip and supporting bar having interengaging coupling meansfor detachably connecting the body unit to the supporting bar with theattaching strip and supporting bar extending longitudinally of eachother.

7. In a shade, a body unit including a transversely pleated accordionfoldable panel and rigid attaching strips extending longitudinally ofand secured to the upper and lower ends of the panel, a rigid supportingbar adapted to be ailixed to a supporting structure, said attachingstrip and supporting bar having interengaging coupling means fordetachably connecting the body unit to the supporting bar with theattaching strip and supporting bar extending longitudinally of eachother, and said panel and attaching strip and supporting bar havingopenings adapted to align when in mating engagement, and a draw cordextending through said openings for manually raising the panel to afolded condition.

8. In a shade, a body unit including a transversely pleated accordionfoldable panel and a rigid attaching strip extending longitudinally ofand secured to the upper end of the panel, a rigid supporting bar havinga recessed portion providing oppositely disposed shoulders, saidattaching strip having portions complementary to said shoulders forslidable interfitting engagement with the recessed portion of saidsupporting bar for detachably connecting the body unit to the supportingbar with the attaching strip and supporting bar extending longitudinallyof each other and said panel and attaching strip and supporting barhaving openings adapted to align when in mating relation, and a drawcord extending through said openings for manually raising the panel to afolded condition and functioning to secure the body unit and supportingbar against separation.

9. In a shade, a body unit including a transversely pleated accordionfoldable panel and rigid attaching strips extending longitudinally ofand secured to the upper and. lower ends of the panel, a rigidsupporting bar and bracket members adapted to be afiixed to a supportingstructure and having oppositely disposed spring fingers provided withinwardly ofiset terminals adapted to embracingly engage the oppositesides of the supporting bar and upper attaching strip with the offsetterminals engaging beneath the attaching strip for releasably couplingthe body unit to the supporting bar.

ABRAHAM STONE.

